That your alms may be in secret: and your Father who sees in secret himself shall reward you openly.
All Commentaries on Matthew 6:4 Go To Matthew 6
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
A hypocrite is one who pretends to be something one is not. This person pretends to be righteous yet shows no evidence of righteousness. All attention is focused on how one is being perceived or praised by others. Even pretenders may receive this praise precisely while they are deceiving those to whom they seem to be good. But they receive no reward from God the searcher of the heart—only reproach for their deceit. They may have a human reward, but from God they hear, “Depart from me, you workers of deceit. You may speak my name, but you do not do my works.” So you receive your reward with others, you have received the glory of others—so what? If you do good for the express purpose of having human glory, what good have you? The praise of others need not even be sought by one who acts rightly. We ought to follow one who acts rightly, profiting by imitating what we praise. .
